Have you come across a film or two with a great premise that just fell short of being a sleeper hit that becomes a cult classic? Well, that's what I was hoping for in this new and interesting slasher. The idea of a deranged slasher with a burgeoning desire for violence that sporadically surfaces and is portrayed as a sort of psychosis was awesome. Unfortunately, the story itself was so laborious to get through as it truly took its time to develop very shallow characters. I got the point of this as it was set during the era where the most shallow of people were around, but it was missing a pep in its step to keep the momentum going. There were so many missed opportunities for the film to play with the tension and influences of the main character that made it hard for me to enjoy it. The acting is great across the board, but it was just missing that special oomph to keep me invested.
Maika Monroe continues to be a strong leading lady and as the quirkie and strange as Winifred Notty, she delivers a wickedly quiet and unhinged performance. I loved her timidness as she would navigate keeping her darker side hidden by playing up the proper and sweet facade. Her facial expressions were amazing as you start to see her darker side start to crawl its way out and eventually take over sometimes. It was truly freaky and fun. Thomasin McKenzie was absolutely adorable as the house nanny, Ms. Lamb. Her innocence was refreshing and funny in the best way. I loved her moments with Winifred as she brought out what humanity existed in her. Jason Isaacs and Ruth Wilson were fantastic as the parents Mr. and Mrs. Ponds. Ruth was great and posh as the matriarch of the household and I loved seeing her shallow and simple minded self slowly be deconstructed. She may have been a horrible woman, but she was not without her wits as she is the first to see the weirdness of Winifred. Jason was chewing the scenery as Mr. Ponds. That amazing mustache was doing some heavy lifting. I liked that he was secretly full of wrath and lust while being truly oblivious to anything happening in his home. There is a history behind his character that wasn't surprising, but also comes out of nowhere once revealed. Jacobi Jupe was great as the youngest son, Andrew Pounds. He was truly a little brat and the payoff with him later in the film was darkly satisfying. Evie Templeton was awesome as the older sister, Drusilla Pounds. She starts off sweet, but there is a darkness that is awakened in her that was both sad and scary. Her time with Winifred only magnifies it in the most twisted manner.
The score by Ariel Marx was good when present. It had the right amount of classical feeling when it was the more calm moments, but it really kicks into gear during the more horrific scenes. It was on par with the likes of Daniel Licht's score for the TV series, Dexter with the more playful and introspective moments. I do love an occasional slow burn of a slasher, but like I said before, this was a slog to get through for the most part. I did love the mental unraveling of Winifred toward the middle, but it was too subtle in the beginning. You could've shaved off at least 10 minutes of this film and it would've been a lot tighter of a thriller. Also, there is a kill in this film that was shocking, but done too early in my opinion. I would've saved it for the lead into the finale for a smoother transition. In the end, I was just disappointed by this film. Great concept, but with a poorly paced execution. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
